Contact: Dan Hubbard, 202-431-5970, dhubbard@nbaa.org
Continuing its ongoing role in drawing future leaders to the industry, the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA’s) 2026 Collegiate Connect program provides college students with comprehensive firsthand exposure to the many career opportunities available in business aviation.
The Collegiate Connect session takes place Thursday, Oct. 22, on the final day of the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas.
“Collegiate Connect is a meaningful event for any student exploring a career in business aviation,” said NBAA Manager, Professional Development Elayna Hall. “This is a wonderful opportunity to engage directly with industry leaders as well as gain perspectives and guidance from professionals in the early stages of their careers. It fosters the development of connections that position a student to stand out as more than just a name on an application.”
The program begins with a welcome from the NBAA leadership team and Xyla Foxlin, mechatronics engineer, pilot and content creator. An advocate for women in STEM, Foxlin founded Beauty and the Bolt, a nonprofit now operated by Reinvented Inc that taught thousands of kids to use their first power tool and has worked with AAAS as an IF/THEN ambassador. She is also a voice for the Pilot Mental Health Campaign.
This introductory session will be followed by a panel discussion with a group of recent graduates sharing how they prepared for the industry through coursework, clubs, internships and extracurricular activities.
The next panel, “Career Possibilities in Business Aviation: Beyond the Obvious,” describes the wide range of opportunities in business aviation that extend well beyond the traditional pathways into roles that many students may not be aware of. It brings together early-stage and experienced professionals from flight operations, maintenance and business functions who share their insights about their entry into the industry and a firsthand look at the daily realities of their positions.
Following those discussions will be the student and young professionals networking tours where attendees choose from nine career categories that connect them with young professionals already working in each of those fields.
The career categories include:
- Airport business
- Business management
- Broker/sales
- Flight/cabin attendant
- Innovation and technology
- Maintenance
- Marketing
- Pilot
- Scheduler/dispatcher
Collegiate Connect will wrap up in the afternoon at the NBAA-BACE Career Zone, where students can connect with NBAA, speak with recruiters and get their headshot photo taken. They can also enter to win a $200 Amazon gift card.
Admission to the program is free for college students, faculty, and chaperones with a school/university ID. Learn more about Collegiate Connect.
Taking place this year Oct. 20-22, NBAA-BACE is the world’s most influential business aviation event of the year, showcasing the industry’s latest innovations and services, and hosting the leaders who are shaping its future.